South Petherton Junior School

Inspection of South Petherton Junior School Hayes End, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5AG

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since October 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 11 and 12 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils beam with pride to be a part of this school. Staff have the highest of expectations for pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils rise to these expectations and achieve well, with above average outcomes in national tests. The behaviour of pupils at this school is exemplary. Throughout the school, pupils reflect the school values of respect, self-motivation, care, perseverance and kindness. Pupils are safe. They know that if they have concerns, they can turn to any staff member for support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to be active citizens by visiting the local care home to perform poetry they have written. They also arrange events such as cake sales to raise money for charity. Pupils have a strong understanding of British values and appreciate the opportunity to represent the voice of their classes when pupils act as ‘heads of year’. Other leadership roles for pupils include being reading ambassadors, sports leaders and well-being warriors. Pupils also develop their talents and interests through a wide range of clubs, such as football, gymnastics, gardening and art club.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are positive about the school and appreciate how staff go out of their way to build close relationships with their children.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Aspiration and ambition are at the heart of this school’s curriculum. The school has carefully planned the key knowledge and skills that it wants pupils to know and remember. Staff have strong subject knowledge and are enthusiastic for pupils, including pupils with SEND, to achieve as well as they can. This means that all pupils engage well with their learning and quickly develop positive attitudes to learning.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school is determined that all pupils learn to build the skills to read from an early age. Processes for checking pupils’ reading skills are well established. This means that those pupils who need extra help are quickly identified. Personalised support is then put in place to help pupils catch up with their peers. Reading and books are celebrated throughout the school. Pupils benefit from a well-stocked library, and wheelbarrows full of diverse books support pupils to be able to read when around the school grounds.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The wider curriculum is equally well delivered, with rich content that the school is ambitious for pupils to learn. For example, when learning music, pupils develop a rich knowledge that enables them to create rhythms, develop an understanding of musical notation and play a range of musical instruments. Visits to the local river help pupils to develop a secure geographical understanding of physical features associated with rivers. Pupils talk about these subjects knowledgeably, using subject-specific vocabulary to describe what they have learned.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Across the curriculum, there are opportunities to revisit important knowledge. Where this is effective, it helps pupils to remember what they have learned long-term. However, in a few subjects, teachers’ checks on what pupils remember are not as effective. They do not 11 and 12 March 2025

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identify if pupils retain the important knowledge they have previously been taught. This means gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not addressed. At times, pupils are unable to draw on important knowledge to support future learning.

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Pupils with SEND are well supported to learn the same inspiring curriculum as their peers. When necessary, learning is adapted, or adults provide additional support. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Across the school, the behaviour of pupils is exemplary. They are polite and kind to one another. In the classroom, pupils build positive attitudes to learning and are keen to participate in lessons. Year 6 pupils exemplify the standard of behaviour. As ‘buddies’ to Year 3 pupils, Year 6 pupils take their roles seriously to ensure the younger pupils learn the values of the school.

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This means that, by the time pupils leave South Petherton Junior School, they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Pupils attend well. New school leaders have raised the profile of the importance of regular school attendance. There are robust systems in place to ensure pupils attend regularly.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. There are multiple opportunities for pupils to develop confidence and resilience. For example, in the ‘3 minutes of fame’ slot during music assembly, pupils have an opportunity to sing or perform in front of an audience.

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Governors are committed to the school. They have collaborated with school leaders, staff and the community to ensure that the recent changes in school leadership have been managed effectively. At the same time, governors, school leaders and staff have maintained the highest of aspirations for pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, teaching in some foundation subjects does not ensure that pupils retain the important knowledge they have previously been taught. This means that pupils are unable to draw on important knowledge to support future learning. The school should ensure that in these subjects, staff have the expertise to check pupils’ understanding of key knowledge and to deliver the curriculum so that pupils’ knowledge builds securely over time. 11 and 12 March 2025

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.southpetherton-jun.somerset.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 October 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school currently uses one alternative provision.  The interim headteacher started in their role in January 2024.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 11 and 12 March 2025

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with teachers, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors met with the interim headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders and members of the governing body.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted Parent View and by talking to parents. The inspectors also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s

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Inspection team

James Gentile, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Carl Thornton Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 March 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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